“The Noble Consort is ill, and the imperial physicians can't find any cause. His Majesty has requested Young Master Leng Yue to examine her. Is there any remedy?”
Yun Xiao curled her lips, a cold smile playing on them as she looked at Eunuch Ting. Her gaze was sharp and fierce, making Eunuch Ting jump. This Young Master Leng Yue was eccentric; he absolutely must not provoke him. He became even more cautious and stammered, “Young Master Leng Yue, please proceed to Qian Lan Palace to examine the Noble Consort. This humble servant will kneel before Young Master Leng Yue now.”
As Eunuch Ting knelt, the eunuchs and maids behind him dared not disobey and all knelt down.
Yun Xiao scanned them, finding it amusing. She disdained Princess Yan Ling of the Northern Dynasty even more. This woman was truly insidious. If she refused to go, and Yan Ling then sought out the Emperor, she wouldn't believe she was truly ill. She wanted to see what tricks Yan Ling was up to.
Looking at the sea of kneeling eunuchs and maids, Yun Xiao, for their sake, sauntered back and stood on the high steps, looking down at Eunuch Ting.
“Since Eunuch Ting has knelt, it wouldn't be proper for this young master to refuse. Very well, I shall go to Qian Lan Palace.”
As Yun Xiao finished speaking, Eunuch Ting let out a sigh of relief. He slowly rose and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his blue sleeve. If he couldn’t persuade this Young Master Leng Yue today, the Noble Consort would likely blame him for everything, making his life even more difficult.
“Thank you, Young Master Leng.”
The cold moon shone brightly in the sky, its pale white radiance enveloping the intricately carved and painted imperial palace. Beyond the pillars adorned with dragons and phoenixes, flower branches swayed, trees flourished, and fragrances filled the air.
A group of people quickly traversed the corridors, heading towards Qian Lan Palace.
Qian Lan Palace was located to the west of the inner palace. The journey was neither long nor short. After about the time it took for an incense stick to burn, they reached the outside of Qian Lan Palace.
Inside the vast palace, it was deathly silent, not a sound could be heard.
The palace maids guarding the entrance hurriedly bowed upon seeing them. Only after they had passed did they dare to stand up.
Passing through the corridors and ornate pillars, along winding paths lined with orchids, they reached the main hall of Qian Lan Palace. The hall was brilliantly lit, bright and illuminated everywhere.
A line of eunuchs and maids waited outside the doors.
The maid who had gone to invite Yun Xiao now spoke respectfully and cautiously, “Young Master Leng Yue, please.”
Yun Xiao scanned the surroundings without changing her expression.
It seemed that Princess Yan Ling of the Northern Dynasty truly intended to openly seduce her, even going so far as to have the palace maids and eunuchs cleared out. She wondered what the scene inside the hall would be like.
Pity the Emperor. Because of his incompetence, his consort was planning to stray.
As Yun Xiao mused, a sudden jolt of surprise struck her. The Emperor knew about Yan Ling’s illness. He neither visited nor sent anyone to watch over her, but calmly allowed Yan Ling to act out.
He couldn't possibly not know that Yan Ling was doing this deliberately. And Princess Yan Ling was clearly using herself to attract the Emperor, hoping to draw him over?
Damn it, this woman was actually using her. Fine, truly an adulterous woman. Tonight, she would let you be as lustful as you please.
Yun Xiao’s expression turned serious. She nodded coldly and turned to instruct Wanwan to stay outside the hall. She herself took the medicine box and entered the hall.
Wanwan called out, concerned, “Young Master, may I accompany you inside?”
Before Yun Xiao could speak, the maid who had invited her immediately interjected, “Her Ladyship ordered only Young Master Ye to enter alone.”
Wanwan immediately sensed something amiss and turned to glare furiously at the maid, startling her. At this moment, Yun Xiao spoke.
“Alright, you stay outside the hall.”
Turning around, she stepped into the grand hall of Qian Lan Palace, bathed in the brilliant white light.
Qian Lan Palace was a spectacle of brocade and splendor, shimmering and radiant. Around the hall, many beautiful and exquisite colored glass bead curtains hung. The floor was covered with a leopard print carpet, stark black and white, exuding a wild aura.
At the head of the hall, on the phoenix throne, a luxurious fox fur rug was draped diagonally, contrasting with the magnificent brocade of the throne. It was indescribably wild.
At this moment, a beauty as exquisite as jade was reclining on the phoenix throne, facing inward, her face obscured. Only her cloud-like black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, revealing her graceful curves.
Hearing the footsteps of someone entering from outside the hall, she moved slightly and slowly turned around. Her enchanting face, full of allure, was flushed with a faint blush. Her eyes were tender and affectionate, as if holding back unspoken words. Truly, she possessed beautiful brows and a jade-like nose, a captivating sight.
Yun Xiao cupped her fists in a bow and said respectfully, “Leng Yue greets the Noble Consort. I heard Your Ladyship is unwell.”
The woman at the head of the hall slightly furrowed her delicate brows. She truly looked like Xi Shi clutching her heart, evoking pity. Her tall and slender body slowly sat upright, her three thousand strands of black hair spilling down like water.
She was wearing a smooth, slightly transparent silk robe, with the vibrant red phoenixes intertwined on her inner doublet clearly visible. Paired with the white undergarments below, her figure was full and her curves exquisite, displayed in their entirety.
She was truly a naturally sexy enchantress. Any man would surely be unable to resist such a breathtaking spectacle.
Unfortunately, Yun Xiao was a woman and naturally felt nothing towards this. If one insisted on saying she felt something, it was disdain. This woman was truly shameless, could she not live without men, resorting to using her to seduce the Emperor?
“Young Master Leng Yue, please examine me. I feel a tightness in my chest, palpitations, and even speaking takes all my strength,” Yan Ling said lazily, leaning against the phoenix throne and rubbing her forehead with one hand, as if truly ill.
“Very well, Your Ladyship, please.”
Upon hearing Yun Xiao’s words, Yan Ling’s pretty eyes flickered with excited red light, and she gazed at Leng Yue below with deep affection. He was truly handsome.
If Shangguan Yao truly didn't come, what was wrong with her finding a young male companion? In the Northern Dynasty, it was common for women of status to keep young male companions.
Yan Ling waited excitedly. Unfortunately, Yun Xiao remained motionless. She slowly opened the medicine box, took out a red silk thread, and flicked her hand, tossing the thread up. It gently wound around Yan Ling’s jade-like arm. Yun Xiao then slightly lowered her eyelids, concentrating to listen.
Princess Yan Ling of the Northern Dynasty was stunned. She hadn't expected them to use the method of diagnosing pulse through a suspended silk thread.
She had originally thought this method was a legend, and now tonight, she had the fortune to witness it.
But it was at such a moment, when she had dressed gorgeously and intended to seduce this handsome young man, that he presented her with a suspended thread pulse diagnosis. Princess Yan Ling’s face turned red, her chest heaved up and down, and her breathing became particularly heavy.
Her pair of cold eyes glared fiercely at Yun Xiao. This unappreciative wretch. With a beauty as exquisite as jade presented before him, not only was he unmoved, but he actually performed a suspended thread pulse diagnosis on her.
Good, very good. She absolutely could not swallow this insult. She refused to believe that a woman as charming and alluring as herself couldn't seduce him.
Yun Xiao watched coldly, seeing Princess Yan Ling about to lose her temper. She spoke first, “Princess, your liver fire is too strong. Please adjust your breathing.”
Yan Ling glared at her coldly, slowly normalizing her breathing, and quietly waited for Yun Xiao to finish the diagnosis. Only when she flicked her hand and collected the red thread did she speak unhurriedly, “I wonder what illness I have, to be so weak?”